Professional groups

Professional groups

About our groups

Professional groups provide technical advice across the organisation.They contribute to our public policy agenda, and develop and maintain strategic alliances with other professional bodies and industry organisations/groupings.

Joining a group

As a professional, you are automatically attached to the professional group through which you qualified as part of your annual subscription (your primary professional group).

If you wish to use the alternative designation of a specific group, you must have achieved your RICS qualification through that professional group and maintain your membership of the group.

If you wish to attain the alternative designation you must complete the requirements set by that professional group's board.

You can apply to change your primary professional group at anytime by contacting the RICS contact centre. You can only normally apply to change your primary professional group if you have achieved the level of competence demanded by that professional group’s board.

Get involved with our professional groups

Our professional groups are responsible for four main areas:

Standards

RICS Professional Statements

Market insight

What we regulate

Groups are made up of our professionals who provide the technical guidance and market insight that underpin our standards and guidance. To support or contribute to the work carried out by a professional group, please contact us:

Our professional groups

Our Building Control Professional Group is our home for professionals who have an interest in the regulations that govern the design and construction of buildings. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

small housing extensions

large city centre redevelopment

inspecting dangerous structures

administering entertainment licences

addressing safety at sports grounds and other open-air events

cinema and theatre inspections.

The Building Surveying Professional Group is the home within RICS for professionals who have an interest in the design, construction and management of real estate assets. It is made up of RICS volunteer members, led by RICS staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

residential

commercial

retail

industrial

leisure

education

health.

Our Commercial Property Professional Group is the professional specialism across the commercial property sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

retail

office

industrial

leisure.

Our Dispute Resolution Professional Group is the professional specialism across the dispute resolution sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

the appointment of RICS' third-party dispute resolvers across a range of land, property and construction disputes

training

quality control

the development of new commercial dispute resolution schemes and consultancy services.

Our Environment and Resources Professional Group is the professional specialism across the environmental sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

energy

environment

minerals

waste

education and membership

policy.

Our Facilities Management Professional Group is the professional specialism across the facilities management sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following areas:

business operations

business relocation

business support

health and safety

outsourcing

performance measurement

procurement

property management

strategic planning and advice

utilities and services.

Our Geomatics Professional Group is the professional specialism across the geomatics sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

Our Machinery and Business Assets Professional Group is the professional specialism across the machinery and business assets sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following areas:

valuation and agency services for all aspects of machinery and business assets in the industrial, commercial and government sectors

heavy industrial machinery

IT

telecoms equipment

ancillary equipment.

Our RICS Management Consultancy Professional Group is the professional specialism across the management consultancy sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following areas:

business property solutions

management and practice

strategic advice

corporate insolvency

turnaround management.

Our RICS Minerals and Waste Professional Group is the professional specialism across the minerals and waste sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following areas:

mining and quarrying

minerals economics and valuation

mining law

planning law

environmental legislation

geology

surveying.

Our Planning and Development Professional Group is the professional specialism across the planning and development sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

delivering sustainable development

financial viability in planning

infrastructure delivery

affordable housing

neighbourhood planning

urban and rural regeneration

tax increment financing.

Our RICS Personal Property/ Arts & Antiques Professional Group is the professional specialism across the personal property sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership providing professional advice on the valuation, purchase, sale and management of antiques and fine arts.

Our Project Management Professional Group is the professional specialism across the management of construction projects. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by RICS staff working in partnership across the following areas:

developing the project brief

selecting, appointing and coordinating the project team

represent the client throughout the full development process

managing the inputs from the client, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders.

Quantity surveyors are the cost managers of construction. They are initially involved with the capital expenditure phase of a building or facility, which is the feasibility, design and construction phases.

The Quantity Surveying and Construction Professional Group is the home within RICS for professionals who have an interest in the cost and procurement of construction projects.

Professional groups are responsible for four main areas:

Contributing to international standards development.

Developing guidance on how members should implement these standards.

Market insights in their specialist areas of practice.

Consideration of how RICS should regulate members against these standards.

The construction industry is globaland extends across all real estate and infrastructure markets. Quantity surveyors work in all sectors of the construction industry worldwide.

In real estate this covers:

residential

commercial

industrial

leisure

agricultural

retail.

In infrastructure, sectors include:

roads

railways

airports

waterways

sea ports

coastal defences

power generation

utilities.

Quantity surveyors may also work in process engineering, such as chemical engineering plants or oil rigs. They must understand all aspects of construction over the whole life of a building or facility. They must have the ability to manage cost effectively, equating quality and value with individual client needs.

Our Residential Professional Group is the professional specialism across the residential property sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

Home surveys

Valuations

Estate Agency

Private Rented Sector Investment, Letting and Management

Social/Affordable Housing Investment and Management

Leasehold Estate/Block Management

Residential Housing Policy.

There are four working groups made up of our professionals who provide the technical guidance and market insight that underpin our standards and guidance. These are:

Housing Supply

Estate Agency and Lettings

Survey and Valuation

Property Management.

Our Rural Professional Group is the professional specialism across the rural sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors:

rural estate management

agriculture

planning

valuation

auctioneering

asset management.

Our Valuation Professional Group is the professional specialism across the valuation sector. It is made up of our volunteer members, led by our staff working in partnership across the following sectors: